Today Nanomerics announced the award of a research grant from Innovate UK. The award has been made to progress the development of NM127, Nanomerics’ pain asset. The award will fund a collaboration between Nanomerics Ltd. and Alchemy Pharmatech Ltd. and will involve the coupling of Alchemy Pharmatech’s Naltos nasal delivery device with Nanomerics’ enkephalin based formulation for the treatment of breakthrough, neuropathic and post operative pain. NM127 is a fast acting, nano-enabled, enkephalin pain therapeutic formulated using Nanomerics’ Molecular Envelope Technology (MET). This preclinical stage asset is delivered non-invasively via the nasal route, is active in all animal pain models, does not show analgesic tolerance, is active in morphine tolerant animals, shows no reward seeking behaviour and since it is centrally, will be unlikely to cause significant constipation. Alchemy’s Naltos device is a dry powder delivery device that is able to deliver pharmaceutical powders high into the nostrils.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Nanomerics on their world beating Molecular Envelope Technology and we are pleased that Innovate has awarded this grant, as it enables us to demonstrate the unique ability of our Naltos device to reproducibly deliver powder doses via the nasal route,” said Ian Harrison, Chief Scientific Officer of Alchemy Pharmatech. Andreas Schatzlein, Chief Executive Officer of Nanomerics, said, “We have been looking for a device manufacturer to collaborate with for a while now and we are glad that we have found the innovative technology offered by the Naltos device. We look forward to working with Alchemy Pharmatech to bring a differentiated and efficacious medicine to patients suffering from painful conditions.” The project will provide the final data packages in preparation for clinical testing to follow-on from the project.

ABOUT NANOMERICS

Nanomerics Ltd is a speciality pharmaceutical company based in London, UK. Nanomerics was spun out of University College London, a top 20 global university and was founded to commercialise the Molecular Envelope Technology (MET) developed in the UK academic sector. Nanomerics’ MET enables the transport of drugs across key biological epithelial barriers and this allows Nanomerics to create uniquely differentiated products, underpinned by high quality science. NM127 is one of a number of products being developed by Nanomerics.

ABOUT ALCHEMY PHARMATECH

Alchemy Pharmatech is an innovation-driven company developing drug delivery devices in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry. Naltos is the lead drug delivery device being developed by Alchemy Pharmatech.

About Innovate UK

Innovate UK drives productivity and growth by supporting businesses to realise the potential of new technologies, develop ideas and make them a commercial success.